Decreash Imperial Palace.
The dark cloud glimmered with stars, millions of stars that twinkled in the sky. The air was chilling and damp, and the western wind twirled around the castle.
A pair of dark obsidian eyes peered into the sky, long lashes fluttering as they took in the atmosphere.
The sound of a rocking chair creaked as it rocked to and fro, the sound reverberating in the dark chamber.
The moonlight was the only source of illumination, as the light streamed in through the window, giving Leah's face a subtle glow.
She was seated beside the window.
Her hair dropped to her shoulders, framing her face perfectly; her lips pouted as she stared into nothing but the dark sky with stars aligned.
In her hand was a cup that was half-filled with wine. A jar of wine was seated on a table next to the window, and next to the jar of wine was a candle, which was yet to be lit.
Bringing the cup of wine to her lips, she took a sip and then reclined on the chair, allowing the sour taste to mingle on her taste buds.
Her dark obsidian eyes looked distant; she was lost in thoughts, thoughts that drained her day by day until she was nothing but a shadow of herself.
Emptying the cup for the third time, she reached out for the jar, but it was empty.
Her dark-circled eyes darkened; in fury, she thrashed the goblet on the floor, rising to her feet simultaneously.
The cup landed with a clang, rolling on the floor until it hit a wall. The blue cotton night robe swept across the floor as she walked, her ethereal figure like the goddess herself.
Her violet hair swerved from side to side as she glided across the room towards the door, and as she reached the door, she slowed down. She nudged the door open slowly, as if afraid that someone might see her.
A knight, her personal knight, Sir Kolen, stood right outside the door.
He was on night duty.
He stood erect, his hands crossed behind his back, his hawk eyes guarding the environment.
"Sir Kolen."
Leah called out softly, and Kolen's heart skipped a beat for a moment. He turned around, his armor clinking in the process.
"Princess, why are you still awake?"
He asked with a calm tone.
"I can't sleep."
Leah admitted, lowering her gaze.
"Do you want to come in?"
She asked tardily, raising her chin.
"I know you are tired…"
"I am fine."
He replied and then turned away.
Kolen knew what she wanted; he didn't dread it, but it was inappropriate. He could be hanged for taking away the princess's chastity.
"I am sure you will fall asleep with time if you indeed lie in bed."
He added, knowing fully well that wasn't the case.
Leah's brows creased.
"Don't turn away from me!
She ordered firmly, her voice still low.
He remained silent.
"Kolen, please, I…I…" She swallowed, then continued.
"You have to come in; I need you."
She said almost in a whisper, her teary eyes giving her emotions away.
She inched closer, then leaned on him, wrapping her hand around his waist from behind. But her body couldn't feel his skin due to the armor he was wearing.
"Have you been drinking?"
Kolen perceived the stench from her breath.
She loosened her grip, then circled around until she was now standing in front of him; without hesitating, she leaned in and kissed him…gently.
Kolen's eyes widened, not in shock but in fear.
His eyes roamed around the hallways; no one was in view. He tried to break away from the kiss, but she pressed on.
With that, he wrapped his hand around her waist and pushed her into the room before shutting the door.
"Stop…stop it."
He groaned before pushing her away gently once they entered the room, he was breathless, and so was she.
"Why? Don't you want me?"
Leah asked with searching eyes; the room was dark, and she couldn't see him entirely, but those green eyes of his were brighter than any star she had seen tonight.
"You are drunk; you do not know what you are doing. If I do this, I will be taking advantage of you."
He tried to talk sense into her, but Leah wasn't hearing a word he was saying. Her eyes were focused on his moving lips.
"You don't have to want this… I want this…and that is enough."
She said and then drew closer…
"Take off your armor."
She commanded, her eyes turning cold.
Kolen could do nothing but just stare at her… blankly.
"You are making a mistake. If anyone catches us…"
"Take it off."
She ordered him not ready to listen to a word he had to say.
"I could get killed, and no man would ever want to marry you."
"I do not care, Kolen; it is what I want that matters, and right now I want you, so take off your fucking armor!
She snapped, already high on adrenaline.
At her words, he studied her gaze.
"Why should I obey you at the expense of my honor?"
He asked, and Leah went nuts.
"I will not repeat myself…Kolen."
She warned, and at that moment she looked scary. But it wasn't at her command that he was going to do this.
He had become attached to her from day one when she seduced him while she was drunk.
He cared about her, but she saw their relationship as nothing but that of a relationship shared between sex partners; she was exploiting him.
Swallowing hard, Kolen began to undress.
One by one he took off his armor, then his helmet, then the inner clothes he was wearing, until he was completely naked.
Leah allowed her eyes to trace his body, unashamed. Her lecherous gaze circled around his lower abdomen to his thigh, then back to his face.
With her gaze fixed on him, she took off her night robe, and it slipped right down her flawless skin until it pooled down at her feet.
Without any hesitation, without warning, he took big strides, covering up the gap between them. He stepped forward and pressed his heated body on hers, claiming her as though she were his.
He captured her lips, his hand massaging her thighs as their lips intertwined.
Leah felt her body ignite with a passion she hadn't felt for a long time. She wrapped her hand around his neck, aroused by his touch on her bare skin.
Suddenly, with a single hand, he swept her off her feet, hanging her on his shoulders as though she was nothing but a sackbag.
Sweeping off everything that was not the table beside the window, he dropped her gently.
"Are you sure you want this?"
His hot breath fanned on her neck as he whispered into her ears. Leah's eyes were closed in anticipation of his touch, but just hearing him talk like that…made her body twitch.
"Why are you still talking? Huh?"
She whispered softly, her eyes still closed, her chest rising and falling, the heat of his body near her making her breathless.
"I want you…"
She mumbled, running her hands down his masculine chest, her other hand idly playing with his hair.
"I want you…now."
She had barely finished talking when he captured her lips, his hands curling around her waist.
He was gentle, his lips sucking and nibbling at hers. His tongue danced around in her mouth as he tilted her head backwards, then pressed his body against hers.
They kissed for a while, and then he pulled away, his breath ragged.
"Why…why did you stop?"
She asked, trying to catch her breath.
He didn't say a word. Instead he gazed deep in her eyes, and his hand began to crawl up her thighs.
Leah's breath caught, her heart racing, as he pulled her legs apart.
His eyes remained glued to hers, his intentions bare.
He wrapped both her legs around his waist, and she tightened her grip around his neck, and just then she felt a deep thrust dive into her core.
"Ohh!
She cried out, the pleasure sending waves of arousal bubbling through her.
He pulled out slowly, then dived in again.
She swallowed hard as a small gasp escaped her lips.
Kolen grunted, feeling the tightness of her pussy, his dick pulsating, blood flowing into his groin.
"Huhhhh! Mmmmh!
Leah glanced down and saw that he was now riding her hard. Her body began to vibrate as their bodies slammed against each other.
Her core became wet, and she felt herself bursting with ecstasy.
"Don't…don't stop!
She cried out as she buried her face in his neck, biting his skin and nibbling at his earlobes. He wasincreasing his pace with every thrust, her breasts were slapping against her chest, the table shaking under their weight.
Soon he had her legs raised in the air as he continued to slam into her. She threw her head backwards in reckless abandon as her eyes rolled to the back of her head.
"Faster…go faster. Huh!
Her hand kept pulling and yanking his dark hair. She yelped when his mouth captured one of her hard nipples, biting and teasing, as she continued to rock hard.
A surging sensation flooded as she felt her climax building.
Sweat trickled down her chest, rivulets of sweat gliding down her face. As he fucked her, his testicles slammed at her wet spot, making her quiver with insane pleasure.
She humped on his pulsating dick, her breasts bouncing, her nails digging into his neck.
Just when she thought she would scream, her hand flew to her mouth, and the scent of his hair gel wafted through her nostrils.
"Ko…Koleen! Ahhh!
She moaned, throwing her head backwards, a loud cry piercing the air when felt his thrust amplified.
For hours they drowned in each other's embrace, enjoying the ecstasy of each other's touch and the thrilling sensation.
They went round after round, changing positions and styles. They explored their deepest cravings, and Leah continued to moan his name even after he took her to bed to continue; she didn't stop.
It was a long night of endless passion, but eventually morning came, and Leah woke up to find herself alone in bed.
The empty space beside her was cold; the sheets looked untouched, as if he had never been there at all.
She lay still for a moment, staring at the ceiling, the faint light slipping through the curtains, unable to warm the quiet ache in her chest.
She wasn't surprised. His early departures had become a silent routine, one she had learned to expect.
Yet knowing didn't make the room feel any less hollow.
Her own heartbeat sounded loud in the emptiness, reminding her that she had woken up to his absence.
She drew her knees closer, trying to hold on to whatever warmth was left. Her mind flashed back to the previous night; she had done it again.
She didn't mean to, but she was dragging him into the hole in her heart she was trying to fill.
As Leah remained still, her train of thoughts consuming her, a realization struck her.
Her personal handmaid would be arriving any moment.
It was morning!
Her heart lurched.
She glanced around the room: her clothes were still scattered across the floor,and her hair was tangled. The room looked nothing like the orderly chamber a princess was expected to wake up in.
The table, which has fancy little statues, was empty, and some of the statues lay broken on the floor. She remembered that table, the one Kolen had placed her on as he rammed into her.
She swallowed hard.
Slowly, she lifted the bedsheet and peeked underneath… she was still undressed!
With a sharp gasp, she leapt out of the bed, the cold floor stinging her feet as she struggled to steady herself.
Her knees wobbled from panic and the sudden rush of movement.
Gathering the remaining broken pieces of the statues, and unsure of where to put them…
She locked them away in one of her big jewelry boxes.
She snatched her clothes from the floor, then slipped into her dress as quickly as her shaking fingers allowed, tugging the fabric into place while reaching for her hairbrush.
Her reflection in the nearby mirror made her pause, just for a moment.
Her hair was a tangled mess from a night that felt far longer than it should have.
She dragged the brush through her hair, each pull hurried and uneven, hoping it would at least look like she had slept peacefully… alone.
A soft knock echoed from the door, and her blood ran cold.
Her eyes widened as she dropped the hairbrush at once.
Two quick steps and a frantic leap carried her back into the bed.
She pulled the bedsheet up to her chest, forcing her breathing to steady as she sank into the exact position she should have woken up in.
Her heart thudded loudly, and with one last deep breath, she shut her eyes, too tight, too sudden, but she hoped it would pass for sleep.
The door opened with a soft creak, and the handmaid stepped inside.
Her gaze drifted to Leah lying still beneath the sheets, eyes closed as though lost in a deep sleep.
The handmaid lingered for a moment, studying her, then moved quietly toward the window.
With practiced grace, she parted the curtains.
Sunlight spilled into the room, its warm rays washed over the stone floor and the side of the bed, and finally touched Leah's face.
Leah kept her breathing slow, though inside her chest everything felt tight with uneasiness.
The handmaid turned slightly, and was about to speak.
But just then, Leah shifted on her bed, turning slightly as if waking from a deep, peaceful sleep.
She muttered inaudible words, the kind someone might mutter when dreaming.
She then lets out a soft yawn, insinuating that the sunlight had finally coaxed her to arise from her sleep.
Her lashes fluttered open, and she blinked against the brightness pouring in from the window.
She hoped her act looked natural… believable.
The handmaid's expression remained gentle but observant.
"Good morning, Your Highness," she said softly.
"I trust you slept well?"
Leah nodded, forcing a small, sleepy smile.
The handmaid returned the expression warmly before turning away to prepare her bath.
Her eyes followed her quietly, watching every step until the maid disappeared into the bathing chamber.
Only when she was certain she was out of sight did Leah let her shoulders drop.
She shut her eyes in relief, her hand flying to her chest as if it would steady her racing heart.
She lets herself fall back onto the bed, her body sinking into the mattress, with an exhausted sigh escaping her lips.
"That was a close call."